The Most Powerful Oldsmobile Cars Ever Built

A look at some of the most powerful Oldsmobiles ever made – from the classic years to modern times.

GoneBoy via Bring a Trailer

Front angle view of a brown 1970 Oldsmobile Toronado GT parked outside.

Oldsmobile might not be around anymore after the company shut down in 2004, but many of us grew up with an Oldsmobile in our lives. We still see them at shows today, and they bring back fond memories. It’s a classic American automotive brand that has a lot of very cool cars in its lineup – some of which are absolute beasts on the road. Let’s take a look at some of the fastest Oldsmobiles ever made with horsepower as our unit to measure by.

TOPSPEED VIDEO OF THE DAY

10/10 1949 “Roarin’ Relic” Oldsmobile Rocket 88 – 135 horsepower

1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 red on track — Brian Snelson via Wikimedia

Front angle view of the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 driving on the racetrack.

First up we have one of the coolest cars of all time – The “Roarin’ Relic” Oldsmobile Rocket 88 – Oldsmobile’s NASCAR champion that was a cut above the rest in the 1940s and early 50s. It was able to reach 100 mph out on the track thanks to its “Rocket 8” engine. This, combined with a smaller body, made the car quite fast on the track, and it blew away the competition. Due to its speedy specs, large engine, and lighter body – many consider this car to be America’s first muscle car. And with an engine that put out 135 horsepower who could argue? Keep in mind that at the time, 135 horses was quite a lot. For example, Ford’s flathead V8 only generated 100 horses around the same time.

9/10 1953 Oldsmobile Starfire Concept – 300 horsepower

This car is a legend that has been forgotten with time – many Oldsmobile fans may never have heard of it before. It was named after the Lockheed F-94 Starfire jet fighter and tends to get buried and confused with Oldsmobile’s later model – the production Starfire first generation that began in the early 60s. However, we are talking about the much earlier Starfire concept car of 1953 – the first car to carry the name. This amazing car came about during the space craze, and it shows – from its “open maw” grille that was suggestive of fighter jet propulsion, to its bucket seats for all passengers, and a wraparound windshield – your felt like a pilot flying a jet in this bad boy. It had a souped-up version of Oldsmobile’s “Rocket” engine with a whopping 300 horses that was incredible for its time.

8/10 1964 Oldsmobile 442 – 310 horsepower

1964 Oldsmobile 442 two door Hardtop black parked outside — Sicnag – via Wikimedia

Front angle view of a black 1964 Oldsmobile 442 two door hardtop parked outside.

The 4-4-2 was created because of competition between Pontiac and Oldsmobile divisions of GM in the 1960s. Technically dubbed the “B09 Police Apprehender Pursuit” option, the 1964 442 came with a 310-horsepower V-8. Not bad!

7/10 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme – 350 horsepower

1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme red parked outside — That Hartford Guy via Wikimedia

Front angle view of a red 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme parked outside.

In 1967, the high-performance 442 package was made available on three Cutlass Supreme models – the sport coupe, the holiday coupe, and the convertible. They came with a 350-horsepower V-8 engine that packed quite a powerful punch!

6/10 1965 Oldsmobile Jetstar – 345 horsepower

1965 Oldsmobile Jetstar yellow parked outside — Expandinglight5 via Wikimedia

Front angle view of a yellow 1965 Oldsmobile Jetstar parked outside in a driveway.

The Oldsmobile Jetstar was originally created as a cheaper option compared to the more luxurious Starfire. However, the Jetstar came with a very nice 345-horsepower Rocket V-8 engine. It might not be as luxurious, but it sure is powerful!

5/10 1968 Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds – 390 horsepower

Front angle view of a gray 1968 Hurst/Olds parked outside.

The Hurst/Olds series were all cool cars, and some of the most popular muscle cars in America. The 1968 model produced 390 horses from its V-8 Rocket engine. Now that’s some serious muscle!

Related: 10 Things You Have Forgotten About The Buick Wildcat

4/10 1970 Oldsmobile Toronado GT – 400 horsepower

1970 Oldsmobile Toronado GT brown parked outside — GonBoy via Bring a Trailer

Front angle view of a brown 1970 Oldsmobile Toronado GT parked outside.

Speaking of badass muscle cars, Oldsmobile didn’t stop its GT aspirations with just the 442. It also had the Toronado. Many of this car’s models were aimed for luxury over muscle. However, the 1968-1970s Toronado came with a W-34 variant that had some serious power. It came loaded with extra options as well, such as a cold air induction system for the air cleaner, dual exhaust, a special performance camshaft, and a “GT” transmission calibrated for quick and firm up-shifts and better torque multiplication. The best part was the engine, a 400-horsepower, V-8 Rocket engine that gave the car some serious muscle! The 1970 Toronado GT was extra special because it was the only one to receive the GT logo on the exterior of the car.

3/10 Oldsmobile Aurora GTS-1 – 650 horsepower

The stock version of the Oldsmobile Aurora is already a decently fast car thanks to its 4.0-liter V-8 engine. It was a DOHC engine based on Cadillac’s 4.6-liter Northstar V-8 that was able to put out 250 horses. However, a highly modified 650-horsepower version of this engine was created by the General Motors racing division. It was used in the Indy Racing League and IMSA competition starting in 1995 with the GM-supported Aurora GTS-1 racing program. The car itself was a beast, but sadly it didn’t have much luck on the track due to being a bit outdated compared to the other modern front-runners. It was retired the next year.

2/10 Oldsmobile Aerotech – 1,000 horsepower

Front angle view of the Oldsmobile Aerotech concept car parked outside on the grass.

The Oldsmobile brand didn’t fail for a lack of trying. In the 1980s, the company really tried to make its place in the automotive world. One of the ways they went about doing this was by setting the record for one of the fastest cars of all time – The Aerotech. Far ahead of its time, this wild concept car had a super aerodynamic body and a massive 2.0-liter version of the Quad 4 engine that was equipped with a racing turbocharger. This allowed the engine to put out between 800 and 1,000 horsepower. This is what gave the car a record-setting top speed of 300 mph.

1/10 Oldsmobile Sorceress – 5,000 horsepower

This list wouldn’t be complete without at least a nod to this Oldsmobile – easily one of the most badass cars of all time – called the Sorceress. While technically a 1984 Hurst/Olds, you can see that the car has obviously been modified for speed. It set the record for the fastest street-legal car at 260 mph. Its massive V-8 engine comes with a pair of turbochargers and 2.5-inch primaries and is able to give the car an incredible 5,000 horses!